The PLA(N)’s most key acquisition, says the ONI report, is a sophisticated anti-air capability, which would allow its ships to operate in “distant seas”, far from land-based air-defence systems. The Luyang I class of destroyers, already formidable, have been followed by the Luyang II class and the Jiangkai II frigates, which are linked with an air-surveillance network as good as America’s world-standard Aegis system.

Submarines, both conventional and nuclear, will be a key deterrent in the PLA(N). The ONI report says that Beijing will replace its large number of low-tech submarines with “smaller numbers of modern, high-capability boats (submarines)”. But while the number of surface ships remains constant, today’s fleet of 62 submarines will increase over the next 10-15 years to 75. [In that time-frame, India’s submarine fleet will be about one-third that of China’s.]

Most worrisome for the US Navy’s pre-eminence in the region, is the programme to develop the world’s first Anti-Ship Ballistic Missile (ASBM), a variant of China’s Dong Feng – 21 missile. The ONI report reveals that the ASBM’s peculiar flight path, involving a mid-course trajectory correction, will make it very difficult to intercept."

http://www.fas.org/irp/agency/oni/pla-navy.pdf

Bill Cosby

04-02-2011, 02:33 PM

Just as a rough guess, what do they spend on "defense" as compared to the USA??

Telos

04-02-2011, 05:18 PM

Chinese Develop Special "Kill Weapon" to Destroy U.S. Aircraft Carriers

http://www.usni.org/news-and-features/chinese-kill-weapon

http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/5027/df21cirbmtel20091s.jpg

Bill Cosby

04-02-2011, 08:25 PM

Pretty............

What a saving it must be to take out an aircraft carrier w/ a cheap made in CHina missile......... Hopefully they work.........

How would the USA feel if the Chinese 7th fleet was cruising around just south of New Orleans or could be seen from Virginia beach??